Matt Durham

Matt Durham

Matt Durham is a partner in Stoel Rives’ Salt Lake City office and past chair of the firm’s Labor & Employment group. Matt has more than 20 years of experience helping employers resolve disputes in state and federal courts and administrative agencies involving employment discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, wage and hour, drug testing, leave, benefits and labor/occupational safety issues. He routinely advises employers on developing and implementing personnel policies and complying with state and federal employment laws. Matt also represents clients in general civil litigation matters and has experience mediating employment disputes.

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Pay, Leave, and Scheduling Issues Due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19)

By Matt Durham, Caroline Livett and Laura Rosenbaum on Posted in COVID-19, Uncategorized
With hourly reports of a possible coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the news, employers are confronted with preparing for widespread employee absences or a pandemic situation.  Among many issues to consider is how to treat absences related to coronavirus.  Not only must employers consider how to treat employees who themselves become ill, they must also prepare … Continue Reading

Department of Labor Seeks Input on New Rules for White Collar Exemptions

By Ryan Kunkel, John Dudrey and Matt Durham on Posted in Department of Labor, FLSA, Gov't Agencies, Updates, wage and hour
Employers know that the salary rule for “white collar” exemptions from President Obama’s Department of Labor (“DOL”) was blocked by a federal court last year (we blogged about that here).  (UPDATE: A Texas federal court invalided the rule on August 31, 2017.)  That rule would have more than doubled the salary requirement for an overtime … Continue Reading

Utah Passes Bill Regulating Non-Competes

By Matt Durham on Posted in Utah
After heated debate between legislators and among the business community, the Utah state legislature has passed HB 251, the Post-Employment Restrictions Act.  As passed, the Act prohibits “post-employment restrictive covenants” with restrictive periods longer than one year.  The Act defines a “post-employment restrictive covenant” (also identified in the statute as a “covenant not to compete” … Continue Reading

“Employer-Friendly” Utah Legislature Considers Regulating Non-Compete Agreements

By Matt Durham on Posted in News, States, Utah
Many employers in Utah use non-competition agreements to protect their confidential information, customer relationships and investment in employee training and development. In a somewhat surprising move, the usually employer-friendly Utah State legislature has signaled its willingness to join California and a handful of other states in attempting to regulate these kinds of agreements. The Utah … Continue Reading

Utah LGBT Anti-Discrimination Law Goes Into Effect

By Matt Durham on Posted in Utah
The folks at KUER ran a report yesterday on Utah’s ground breaking LGBT antidiscrimination law, which went into effect yesterday. Titled the Antidiscrimination and Religious Freedom Act, the law prohibits workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity on the same terms as discrimination on the basis of race, gender, national origin … Continue Reading

Utah Legislators Make History, Pass LGBT Antidiscrimination/Religious Freedom Bill

By Matt Durham on Posted in Articles, Employment Law Blogs, Updates, Utah
Utah legislators made national headlines last night when they approved a bill providing antidiscrimination protections to LGBT employees coupled with protections for religious expression in the workplace. Titled the Utah Antidiscrimination and Religious Freedom Act (the “Act”), the bill received support from across Utah’s political spectrum, including the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, the … Continue Reading

Utah Immigration Legislation Remains Up In the Air (UPDATED)

By Matt Durham on Posted in Immigration, News, Utah
Immigration was one of the top issues in the 2011 Utah Legislative session, which concluded last week. Contrary to early predictions, Utah did not adopt a carbon-copy of Arizona’s controversial immigration law. In fact, even the “enforcement” legislation, which got so much attention before the session, passed only after it was amended to remove language that some … Continue Reading

How To Avoid Holiday Party Pitfalls (and Liability)

By Matt Durham on Posted in Practical Tips
According to recent poll by the Society of Human Managers (SHRM), fewer employers are foregoing holiday parties this year than in 2009. Although the economy continues to sputter, many employers likely see the traditional holiday party as a relatively inexpensive way of boosting morale and creating good will among their employees.  Some employers approach party planning … Continue Reading
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